Portsmouth Point (Walton)

The work was inspired by Rowlandson's print depicting Portsmouth Point.

Walton recalled that the main musical had come into his mind whilst riding on a route 22 bus in London.

[1] The overture was selected for performance at the 1926 International Society for Contemporary Music festival, and received its first performance in Zürich on 22 June 1926, conducted by Volkmar Andreae.

Constant Lambert later prepared a version of the overture, with a reduced orchestration, from Walton's original, and also with simplified time signatures.

[3] Portsmouth Point depicts in musical form the rumbustious life of British 18th century sailors.